NICU Services

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Services

Southern Regional Offers Specialized Services for Your Baby

At Southern Regional Medical Center, we offer many services to assist you
and your baby. Please ask your baby's nurse to contact these special
people if needed. Below is a brief explanation of each service.

The Lactation Center

Our staff encourages breastfeeding. Breast milk is one of the most important
things that only you can supply for your baby. It contains special components
that will help your baby grow and become stronger.

Although your baby may not be ready to breastfeed initially, you can supply
expressed breast milk that we can feed to your baby.

The
Lactation Center is always available to assist in this process and you should feel free
to ask questions at any time. You may call to ask any questions about
breastfeeding or just to get moral support for your breastfeeding efforts.
The center also rents and sells breast pumps and equipment.

Case Management

The Case Management staff offers supportive services to families experiencing
a medical crisis like having a preemie or a sick infant. The case manager
can refer parents to local community and state agencies to help with special
needs and for financial assistance.

If you ever have questions or difficulties coping with your baby's
condition, please do not hesitate to contact a case manager. Your nurse
can tell you how to get in touch with your case manager.

Chaplain Services

We understand that this is a very difficult time for you and your family
and we havechaplain services to help you cope. The hospital chapel is open 24 hours a day for your
use. There is also a small chapel in the Women's Life Center that
you may use.

There is always a minister on duty at the hospital for added support and
prayer. Please let your baby's nurse know if you would like to meet
with a hospital minister.

Speech Therapy

The speech-language pathologist is often consulted by physicians for evaluation,
recommendations and therapy to improve the feeding skills of premature
or medically fragile infants.

Feeding therapists are trained in the treatment and development of infants
with special feeding needs. Their training includes anatomy and physiology
of sucking, swallowing, and breathing mechanisms, as well as different
techniques and exercises to improve feeding.

Therapists provide education and hands-on assistance to parents and caregivers
to help them successfully feed their infant.

Respiratory Care Team

The Respiratory Care Team at Southern Regional Medical Center is involved
in many aspects of our patients' care. Some responsibilities of the
respiratory therapist include: patient assessment, oxygen and aerosol
therapy, airway management, arterial blood gas analysis and ventilator
management.

The respiratory therapists are also part of a resuscitation team that attends
all C-sections and high-risk deliveries. As a part of the NICU team, the
respiratory therapists take every opportunity to educate parents regarding
their baby's care.

Physical Therapy

The physical therapists at Southern Regional Medical Center are available
at the physician's request to assist with your baby's needs. The
therapist has special training in the treatment and understanding of premature
and term infants.

The therapist will evaluate your baby's muscle tone and movements and
perform exercises with your baby to improve muscle strength and flexibility.
The therapist will in turn teach the parents and offer suggestions for
continued optimal development at home.

If needed, your baby may return after discharge from the hospital for continued
evaluation and treatment with the physical therapist in the outpatient
Physical Therapy Department.

Early Intervention Programs

"Babies Can't Wait" is a statewide program that offers special
services for infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delays.

The program is available for newborns up to three-year-olds who have a
diagnosed condition known to result in developmental delays, or those
undiagnosed who are at risk of being significantly behind others their
age. It is provided regardless of family income.

The program staff develops an individualized plan of service for each baby.
State funds may be available to assist in paying for specific services.

The Resuscitation Team

This is a team that includes nurses, neonatologists, and respiratory therapists
who are specially trained to respond to any high-risk deliveries.

These deliveries include extreme low birth weight babies, C-Sections, presence
of meconium, and any other problem that may occur in delivery. This team
also helps babies who may need close attention for the first two to four
hours after birth.

1st Contact Team

This team includes nurses
and neonatologists who visit mothers-to-be when they are patients in the Ante-Partum
Unit of the Women's Life Center.

They provide information and materials to educate mothers about possible
premature delivery and give them an overview of their baby's hospital stay.

The referral for the 1st Contact Team comes from the mother's care provider.

The Graduate Nursery

The
Graduate Nursery is a sub-unit of the NICU. It cares for infants preparing for discharge
and helps their parents learn to care for them at home.